Cats: Fuzzball, Queen of the Universe (you didn’t know this? That’s because she was a benevolent ruler), made it to 17 years old. Rimsky’s coming up on 16, and Charlotte and Wilbur just turned 14.
One of my friend’s German Shepherds lived to 12 and her son made it to 13, pretty good for the breed.
My dad brought home Alvin from some gas station in Yuma, AZ. I named him after my favorite TV character at the time. I was 3. Half dauchshound and half beagle.
We finally put him to sleep when he was over 21, when he became too weak to function. By then I was 24.
Breed makes a difference. I have had Rottweilers in my life since 1985, and have yet to have one make it to ten years old. Even when purchased from extremely carefully-bred and health-cleared working bloodlines. I’ve lost three out of the eight I’ve owned to bone cancer…sadly very common in the breed.
I got a shelter pup - a red heeler x Jack Russel terrier as a present from me for my 50th birthday. She is now six years old and extremely healthy and vigorous; a sturdy, athletic little mutt. It’s occurred to me that she could well live until I’m in my late 60s or older. I’m of an age where I’m going to have to consider the longevity of my pets when I get them! My current Rottweiler is almost four.
IMHO, Rottweilers are the best dogs on the planet. I had three, at different times, and lost all three to bone cancer, at 22 months, 7 years, and 9 1/2 years, respectively. The one who lived to be 9 1/2 had the best bloodlines, which I think is why she lived as long as she did. I’d love to have another one but knowing my heart would be broken in such a short time is more than I can face. 
My mixed-breed dog, three dogs ago, died on the 18th anniversary of our bringing him home. I was in the sixth grade, and when we lost him I had been working full time for eight years. I still miss his shining eyes.
I hear you and yes they are. They are one of the poster breeds for osteosarcoma, and that is an awful cancer.
My current Rottweiler is a Rick von Burthann grandson and a German import, so I am hoping he will break the mold. In 2009 I lost two beloved Rottweilers to osteo and it was a terrible year.
I believe you about Bubbaloon! Aquatic animals can be fragile so it means you did a great job taking care of him. I had an albino African clawed frog who lasted five years. Who knows how long he would have carried on if he’d not committed suicide by slipping out of the tank when I forgot to put the cover on one day. Mine was named Squish.
We have two dogs, a mother and son, that are both 13 +.
My parent’s dog died at 17, when I was 13.
My childhood cat lived to be 19, which is fairly remarkable since she was an old school kitty; she had two litters before we had her fixed, and she spent her life roaming the neighborhood and killing small animals. She would have lived longer if she hadn’t been sleeping under my dad’s car.
My parents recently lost their last cat who was at least 20.
I saw the story about this cat on Reddit, and there were several comments from people who currently had cats that were older than 24.
German Shepherd dog, referred to by all who knew her as “The Best Dog Who Ever Lived.” She was about 14.
I also had a Clown Loach named “Papa Bear” who lived to be 12. This sounds like a lot for an aquarium fish, but I’ve heard of them living to 30.
Lol, love the name! Two of our sucker fish were named Hoover and Eureka. 
My sweet, loving Max was 18 years and 11 months old when he died of a stroke on the vet’s table. Considering that I had accidentally poisoned him with ant spray several years before and he suffered from occasional seizures and bowel problems the last few years of his life, I was more than amazed that he had lived that long. I still miss him running to the door to greet me when I got off work and crying to be picked up so he could suck on my ear lobe. :’(
If your pet rock dies, wrap it in foil and put it in the freezer till they find a cure.
A few years ago I had a chiweenie or doxiewawa who lived to about 22 years old. She was almost blind and deaf her last year but always found the dinner table. Miss her.
Our oldest is our current pet: a 16 year old Havanese. She is like a piece of iron. Other than her initial spaying she hasn’t been to the vet for anything other than shots and checkup. She still bounds up and down the stairs, plays with other dogs, and seems as bright and active as she was 10 years ago.
Buster the Cat (already named when he was rescued from a demented woman) will be 16 in July. Also known as Big Red One, Boo Boo, Butter Bean, Big Racoon, and Mister Boo Boo Tastic.
My tuxedo cat Choie (as in my screenname) was my longest-lived cat. According to her vet, she was a year old when she literally showed up on my family’s doorstep as a stray in 1983. I gave her some tuna and she was mine for the rest of her life (though she was also close to my mother until Mom passed away in 1986). Choie died in my arms in 2001 at about 19.
My family’s dalmatian, Killy, was 14 when he died. Which is pretty good for that breed, so we did something right. Neurotic but so much fun and sweet at heart. Actually, so was Choie. Now that I think about it, that’s how I’d describe most of my family members too…
I gave my McCaws to friends years ago, and my Blue Front Amazon to another friend with a female for him. They’re all over 35 currently, and show no signs of slowing down.
They’ll be around for another 35 years at least.
I recently made the mistake of taking my 16yo daughter to the pet store with me. Now she wants nothing in the world but some tortoise she saw there. We can’t get it through her head that this thing will be alive when she’s 70 or even older. Who’s going to take care of it? She doesn’t care, she just WANTS A CUTE TORTOISE! :smack:
My black cat will have his 15th birthday tomorrow and I have told him that he must live as long as I do.
I read him the article about Creme Puff who made it to 38 years and 3 days in order to inspire him.